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Green, Sally
4 Reviews
(3)
YA
Smoke Thieves series.
A princess facing an arranged marriage, a bastard son discovering his identity, a servant dispossessed by war, a loyal guardsman torn by love, and a child demon hunter take turns narrating this novel. As their story lines converge, a detailed picture emerges of rival kingdoms on the verge of war. Green provides complex characters and persuasive political conflicts but not much resolution in the opener to a projected trilogy.
Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac
(3)
YA
Nathan (Half Bad; Half Wild), now in love with Gabriel, seeks vengeance on former love Annalise, who killed his father; meanwhile, Nathan uses his Gifts to help the Alliance defeat the despotic Council of White Witches. Fans may be crushed by tragic events in this finale, but the first-person-present narrative keeps the tension dialed high as the series' nuanced exploration of good and evil continues.
Reviewer: Sian Gaetano
(3)
YA
Having received three gifts from his father, Nathan (Half Bad) becomes a full-fledged witch. Although powerful, Nathan must join forces with a witch alliance to wake his White Witch (girl)friend from a death-like sleep. The narrative is painstakingly plotted, and the action is doled out judiciously. This series continues to blur the lines between "good" and "evil"--rare in fantasy.
Reviewer: Sian Gaetano
(2)
YA
The novel begins with Nathan--son of a "good" White Witch mother and an "evil" Black Witch father--a prisoner in a cage. Flashbacks reveal his early life with his grandmother and half-siblings among White Witches who ostracize him. Green's characterization and plotting keep readers invested in Nathan's journey as he grows up, figuring out whom he can trust and how he'll survive.
Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2014
4 reviews
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